The quick release knot for tenders is a super cool knot that will impress friends, family and on-lookers
Whenever I release the knot our guests or the people on the jetty make comments like, ‘Wow – that is a cool knot,’ or ‘Did you see that knot, it came loose with one pull!’
Thanks to our friend Stefano, a retired Admiral of the Italian Navy, we’ve learned all sorts of amazing things.
The quick release knot for tenders is just one of them!
Whether you’re alone on your tender or have a boat full of friends, all that is needed is a pull of the tender rope tail and the tender is released. But don’t let the quick release make you think the boat is not secure.
No, no…no. The knot, is very secure!
Watch the Quick Release Knot for Tenders and then view the step-by-step instructions below.
How about getting yourself a sailing t-shirt?!
But before checking out the step-by-step instructions and pictures, how about grabbing yourself a new t-shirt? If you like Simon’s t-shirt you can get one for yourself in our Sailing Britican Etsy shop. Aside from ‘Sailing Britican’ t-shirts you’ll also find generic t-shirts that make excellent gifts. Click on the image below to check out this t-shirt!
Sailing Britican T-shirt – comes in orange, slate, royal blue and a lovely green color 🙂
Step-by-step instructions for the Quick Release Knot for Tenders
1. Step one, make a loop around a ring or a bar.
2. Make a loop with the rope attached to the boat and pull that through the loop around the ring or bar.
3. Make a loop with the tail (or the end piece of rope that’s not attached to the boat)
4. Pull the rope attached to the boat very tight and that will secure the knot.
5. When you want to release the knot, you pull on the tail – with one pull the knot is released and you’ll be on your way.
Thanks to Simon, Britican’s captain for the video demonstration, and Sienna Zoutendyk (age 10 from sailboat ‘Why Knot’) for the second demonstration. And a special thanks to Tanna Zoutendyk and Sienna Brown for being a captive audience. The video was done in North Kastos, Greek Ionian.
Know it well, the highway man’s hitch. So that your horse when it pulls just tightens the knot but when you need to make a speedy getaway you’re off with one tug.
Almost the only knot I know!
I use it on our narrowboat single handing through locks. I can tie the boat on a loose line and pull on the boat side as I go up or down and quickly pull the other side when its time to go.
Great knot, many thanks Kim.
Love this video. Ruth above mentioned that the knot was called the highwayman’s hitch, which is true. My dad told me it was also called the Bank Robbers Knot so when the robbers left the bank, they can have a quit get away on the horse.
The knot I use the most I learned from a tender girl in Lake Tahoe. On the pier, there are post that line each side of the pier. In less then 2 seconds, she did a triple clove hitch. My mouth dropped… and I’ve been doing it ever since. It’s basically a clove hitch 3 times… so there is not need to tuck the tail under the top line. It even stays high on the post. And we’re ready to leave, I just slip all 3 loops over the post and go.
Good knot or should we call this a “semi-knot”. Thx for sharing… JB/Mount Pleasant, SC